Mandaue secures P720 million in school infrastructure

CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City has secured a major boost for its education sector after the Department of Education (DepEd) approved P720 million worth of school infrastructure projects, including a P650-million mid-rise school building grant that places the city among only three local government units nationwide to receive the funding this year.

The funding package is expected to provide 69 new classrooms and benefit more than 8,200 students across the city.

The projects were formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Makati City.

Among the approved projects is a P650-million mid-rise school building for Paknaan National High School, a P40-million four-story, 12-classroom building for Opao Elementary School, and a P30-million three-story, nine-classroom building for Basak Elementary School.

Only three highly urbanized cities in the country—Manila, Parañaque, and Mandaue—were granted the P650-million mid-rise school building project this year.

City officials said the funding was secured through coordination among the Mandaue City Government, the office of Mandaue Lone District Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon, and DepEd.

In an interview on Thursday, June 18, 2026, Mayor Jonkie Ouano said the signing marked the transition of the projects from the planning stage to actual implementation.

“Kining atong mga projects dili ra kutob sa plano, naa na gyud ni budget,” Ouano said, noting that the next step would be the procurement process.

Construction is expected to begin this year, with completion targeted by the end of the fourth quarter of 2027.

Under the arrangement, the city government will handle the procurement of materials and the selection of contractors, while DepEd will oversee implementation to ensure the quality and durability of the facilities.

Ouano said the direct downloading of funds to the local government unit would accelerate project implementation compared with the previous system, where school construction projects were coursed through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Nalipay sad mi no, especially ako first term man nako karon. Naa man mi group chat sa ubang local chief executive all over the Philippines, mas paspas na ang pag-construct sa classrooms kaysa i-agi pa og DPWH kay daghan pa baya na sila og huna-hunaon,” he said.

The mayor added that the new arrangement is expected to improve efficiency and hasten the delivery of much-needed classrooms.

Ouano described the projects as a significant investment in the city's future and a critical step toward addressing classroom shortages.

“This is a substantial investment in the education of our children and in the future of Mandaue. These projects will help provide safer, more conducive, and more accessible learning spaces for thousands of students,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Rep. Ouano-Dizon, and DepEd for their continued support of the city’s education programs and infrastructure needs.

The new facilities are expected to ease classroom congestion and improve learning conditions, particularly in schools experiencing steadily increasing enrollment.- FPL CEBU NEWS